Benjamin Brecknell Turner
'Ludlow Castle from the Tiltyard'
Albumen print from paper negative
Museum no. PH.27-1982
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London
One of the main defensive positions on the English / Welsh border was Ludlow Castle. Construction began around 1086 although building continued during subsequent centuries. Throughout its history the royal castle was a centre for provincial rule. During the civil war of the 17th century it was defended for the king but surrendered in 1646. Soon after it was deserted and fell into decay. By the 1770s a surveyor was sent to see if demolition was practical. His report suggested that the cost of demolition would be greater than the profits made from the sale of salvaged materials. So the ruin stood gaining popularity with generations of tourists and artists in search of the picturesque.